Organic Pest Control

How do you maintain an organic garden and still ward off pests? Some people may think Organic Pest Control is an oxymoron when in fact the two go hand in hand quite well.

Here are some easy ways to grow a healthy garden, free of harmful pesticides.

1) Crop Rotation – It’s important to map out your garden and record it in a journal for a number of reasons, but one major reason is to help you with crop rotation. Each year, plant your vegetables in different locations. Eggs are often left behind at the end of a season next to the plant each particular pest prefers. When the babies emerge without finding their favorite vegetable, they will often die before they find the new location.

2) Toads – A good, loyal toad could be your new best friend. They can eat up to 100 insects a night. If you give him a loving home, he could stick around for years. A small pond or a low bird bath should keep him happy.

3) Barriers – Barriers are good for larger garden pests like squirels, rabbits and deer.

4) Companion Planting – I like to plant garlic or onions next to most of my plants. Most pests are deterred by the smell. Below is a more extensive list of companion planting variations.

5) Sprays – There are ‘organic’ pesticide sprays, but as many of us have learned, organic doesn’t always mean it’s safe and free of chemicals. I have found that the best sprays are homemade. You can combine castile soap and water and spray on all your plants. The spray may kill beneficial insects as well, but every time I see a great vegetable stand at the farmer’s market and ask them what they use, 9 times out of 10 the answer is soap and water spray. Another good spray is garlic water. Simply put four pealed garlic cloves in a spray bottle, fill with water and let sit overnight. Then spray your plants. Finally, you can spray straight vinegar. Spraying the garden is a great job for the kids! While they are busy having fun spraying, I’m able to work on other parts of the garden.